Heads Up Concussion

The Michigan law can be found in Chapter 333 of the Michigan Compiled Laws at Sections 9155 and 9156 dealing with public health.

Michigan law requires the Department of Health to establish, adopt and approve a concussion awareness training program that addresses the nature and risk of concussions, guidelines for removal of an athlete from participation and return to the activity and the risks of an athlete not reporting a suspected concussion and continuing participation in the activity. The statute defines a youth athlete as an individual who participates in athletic activity and who is under 18 years of age. An organizing entity includes a school, recreation department or commission, a public or private entity and a nonprofit or for profit entity. Prior to allowing participation by a youth athlete, an organizing entity shall provide the educational materials established by the Department of Health and obtain a signed statement from each youth athlete acknowledging receipt of the material. Such signed statement shall be maintained in a permanent file or until the youth athlete is 18 years of age. The educational and training materials developed by the Department of Health shall be made available to any interested individual including school personnel, coaches, parents, students, and athletes. A coach or other adult volunteering shall immediately remove a youth athlete from participation who is suspected of sustaining a concussion and shall not return to play unless written clearance has been received from an appropriate health care provider authorizing return to participation. The organizing entity shall maintain written clearances authorizing return to play in a permanent file or until the youth athlete is 18 years of age. The law does not apply if the organizing entity is a member of private non-profit multi-sport statewide interscholastic athletic associate and the athletic activity is governed by protocols that are substantially similar or more stringent than the Michigan law. The law does not apply to an organizing entity if the primary focus of the program is not participation in an organized game or competition but that participation is incidental to the focus of the program.

The laws at 333.9155 and 333.9156 of the Michigan Compiled Laws can be viewed online at: